Jay Williams..a Phenomenal Talent and true visionary

[Dayna]

This article below was written by Jay Williams..a Phenomenal Talent...who refuses to be a product of the assembly line watered down studio creation ...His vision is exciting and promising..

It's amazing how I remember watching my artist-influences on Soul Train during my childhood, mimicked them and only dreamed and prayed to someday see them in concert or get their autographs, only for God to dream much bigger and inevitably send me their way as an adult to work with and become close friends with some of the legends I admired. It Mesmerizes me to this day! It's a very spiritual journey. It's even more mesmorizing that some almost twice my age are still around with such longevity. Back then, my mentor producers arranged to highlight the vocalist's strengths and vice versa. Earth Wind & Fire was no joke! Ashford & Simpson wrote like poets! And Gamble & Huff used horns and live strings in a way that sounded like the instruments were speaking a language. Eddie Kendricks "Going up in Smoke", Teddy Pendergrass "The More I Get, The More I Want", Thelma Houston "Don't Leave Me This Way", Chaka's "I Know You, I Live You!!", Jean Carne's "Free Love", Patti's "Music is My Life", Diana Ross "The Boss", these are all just a few of the classics that gave me no choice but to enter the Uptempo R&B/Soul arena, which ultimately was redefined as Dance Music and segwayed into a more generic and no frills version, House Music. After becoming a club-head and thankfully experiencing the very last few weeks of the Garage and Better Days, I was hooked on the culture and landed my first record deal on BigBeat/Atlantic Records. I believe I took my first dance single "Sweat" to mainstream and worldwide success because I was able to promote it live with the visuals and lessons learned from my musical mentors and underground energy. My first stop was a 2am performance at The original Sound Factory, as DJ Junior Vasquez was responsible for breaking that record, followed by the legendary Franky Crocker leading the way for heavy rotation radio play. If each toured city did not see the visuals combined with the live vocal and show concepts, I truly believe it would have ended up being just another house music track to come and go. But it was a lucrative blessing that reached Africa and served as the definition and peak closing of the tribal house era. The problem was fighting my label (allegedly) to then believe in the direction and level of conscious music I wanted to bring to the arena. So while I thereafter had other Billboard charted dance singles that lead to SPIN and Rolling Stone recognition, recorded for C&C Music Factory, Kathy Sledge, Joss Stone bla bla bla, the music did charted but did not reach its full potential due to having to compromise, sit still, and not receive full support in implementing my musical Influences. I am now unshackled, renewed, and able to get back on track with my mission. The good part is (i think), since dance was at it's height, noone has quite took the male crown and thrown. Many great artists including my friends in this circle, and many tracks released, but I can't truly say anyone has kicked down doors and brought it with a vengeance. We are in a genre where singers long to be heard and producers long to be artists. I will not let the work and lessons of my musical influences and mentors fade. Unlike today's add water and stir platinum sensations, I can play any classic by one of my influences and still dance, get chills, or feel like it was a brand new release. My dream is to return music, that includes my love for dance music, to that level of spark and timelessness. And as I said earlier, God always dreams a bigger dream than I can, so I'm excited and very much prepared for whatever surprise he has in store for me next.


Custom grahic I made for Jay